Improvement in chairs



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CHAIR. N0.177,19,3. Patented May .9, 187-6.

MPEIERS. PHOTO-UTNOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON. D. C.

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ATTORNEYS.

N- PETERS. PNOTO-LITHOGRAPHER WASH 'NITEI) STATES PATENT came.

QUINNEY, AND CHARLES C. GIBBS.

IMPROVEMENT IN CHAIRS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 177,193, dated May 9,1876; application filed January 5, 1876.

To all whom a may concern Be it known that LJAMES W. BARNES, ofNavasota, in the county of Grimes and State of Texas, have invented anew and useful Improvement in Chairs, Lounges, &c.; and I do herebydeclare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description ofthe same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming apart of this specification, in Which- Figure 1 is a side elevation, withone of the shoulder-supports in section; Fig. 2, a rear elevation; Fig.3, a plan view; Fig. 4, a section of the shoulder-plate through line 00a; of Fig. 2, showing the backward inclination of said plate. Fig. 5shows the adjustment of the backward inclination of the shoulder-plate.Fig. 6 is a modification of the means forenablin g the occupant to getinor out of the chair.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved invalid-chairespecially adapted-to the use of persons afliicted with pulmonaryafi'ections, curvature or weakness of the spine, and other kindreddiseases, but applicable also in some of its features of construction tochairs, lounges, or beds in general use. It consists in the constructionof the shoulderplate or upper portion of the back of the chair; in theshoulder-supports attached thereto, and in the movable back, to enablethe person to get in or out of the chair, all as hereinafter more fullydescribed.

In the drawing, A representsa chair of any ordinary or suitableconstruction 5 B, the movable back; 0,, the shoulder-plate, and D D theshoulder-supports. The said shoulder-supports consist of stiflinflexible upwardly-curved horns or crutch-shaped pieces, whose shanksare slotted at a, and fastened by a screw-stem and nut, b, to a hingedplate, 0, so as to be adjusted either forward or backward, or, if needsbe, thrown entirely back upon the hinge and out of the way. The hingedplate 0 is made with a slide, 0, which is graduated and moves laterallyin guideways 01, so that the shoulder-supports have not only anadjustment upon their hinges, but may be moved either forward orbackward or laterally, according to the different sizes and respectiveneeds of different occupants. These shoulder- 'su pports, as thusdescribed, are arranged upon the outer extremities of theshoulder-plate, so as to rest beneath the arm-pits. They thus serve tohold back the shoulders and expand the lungs, and for this reason arespecially advantageous to consumptives, Their principal and mostadvantageous use, however, is to support the body in cases of curvatureand weakness of the spine, the supports in this case relieving the spineof nearly all of the weight of the body, and thus allowing the naturalrecuperation and straightening of the ciple that to straighten thatwhich is bent the same must be bent in the opposite direction and beyondthe straight line which it is desirable it should assume. This featureof the backward inclination of the sides of the shoulder-plate isapplicable also to beds, lounges, 860., and the angle of the backwardinclination will be about ten degrees, more or less. It may be varied,however, at will, by making the said shoulder-plate in two pieces, and.

hinging them in the center, as shown in Fig. 5, so as to give a variableinclination. 7

By constructing the shoulder-plate of two hinged leaves, and employing ablock, S, or other convenient means, any desired inclination may begiven to the sides of the shoulder-plate. When blocks are employed forthe adjustment, either different sizes of the same are used or thedifferent transverse dimensions of the same block are used for thispurpose. To adapt the height of the back of the chair to the varyingsizes of the dilferent occupants it is made with a vertical adjustment,the

back being slotted at 0 and clamped in different vertical positions bythe plate f and screw stem and nut m. o

To enable the occupant to get readily into and out of the chair the backis hinged upon pivots 9 attached to the clamping devices, and.

is held in a vertical position by a iisprin g,"h. Said-spring allowstheoccupantin getting out of the chair to bend the back forward upon itspivots, so as to free himself from the arm-supports, and yet immediatelyrestores theback to its verticalposition as soon astha chair is vacated.+1

I do not limit myself, howevelyto thismeans of facilitatin g gettinginto or out of the chair; and instead of using the pivots l m ay employsimply, in connection with the vertical adjust ment, a set ofvertically-operating springs, and make the whole back slide up and downat will, a detent with ratchet-teeth being -employed in conjunctiontherewith to determine; the fixed position. 1

Having thus described my invention, what Irclaim as newis..

.1. The combination, withithe. upper portion 'of-the backofachair,ofstifi' inflexible arm-supports, adapted to fit beneath-the arm pitsand support the body, substantially as andrfonthei purpose described.

Z- T h n d munp rts.Dtha in ilet H emhinat onwit it s re zstemjanfl niI), the hinged plate 0, carrying aslide, c, and the guideways 01,substantially as and for the purpose described.

Th ,shonlde rn telconsist n .essentia y of twohinged leaves, incombination with a tsuitablaadjnstingq device, as and for the purposedescribed.

.4. The c'omhination of the shoulder-supports Dwith-the shoulder-plate0, having a back-.

ward inclination from the center, as and for the purpose described.

5. The movable back, carrying shoulderaT lB ABNES.

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